Metal fence post



Feb. 4, 1936. E. PAvr-:K

METAL FENCE POST "Filed J2?.

In'enor Patented Feb. 4, 193e t 2,029,739

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METAL FENCE Pos'r Edward Pavek; Minneapolis, Application Januariy 25, 1935, serial No. 3,417

2 claims. (o1. 256;-52)

Thisinvention relates to afence post and parverselyA bentt to `form aibight adapted to receive ticularly to a metal fence post made of a plate a resilient locking wire or rod, said bight havor plate-like material. Metal fence posts are now ing depressions pressed therein on its convex Side Widely used, particularly for wire fences. The aroundwhich said locking wire must pass, ten- Vwire fence most commonly used has quite a numsion thus being placed on said locking Wire t0 ber of longitudinally extending spaced strands press the strands of the fence against the bot- D and these are connected at comparatively short toms of said notches to prevent excessive vibraintervals by wires extending at right angles theretion of the strands. i e to. In many wire fences the wires adjacent the These and `other objects and advantages 0f the ground are spaced closer together, the spacing of invention will be fully set forth in thefollowing the wires oftenodecreasingtoward the gr0unddescription made in connection,withthe-accom- It is an object of this invention to provide a panyng drawings, in which like reference charfence post .of simple and inexpensiveform, the acters refer to similar parts throughout the sevmetal in which is most advantageously disposed eral views andin which:-fv t for resisting the stresses and providing wire at- Fig. 1 isa view in front elevatiOn 0f theepOSt 15 taching means. t t showing the same in the ground with the fence It is a further object of the invention to proattached theretO; e

vide al post of angular shape in transverse cross A Fig- 2 iS a plan View 0f a blank from Which the t section and made of plate-like material, said post POSt Cut; e

having a zonealong one edge of much less thiclx-` Fig- 3 i.S e tOD 01 edge VeW 0 the blank ShOWn 2o ness than the remainder ofthe post, said zone in Fig-2; n i having spaced notches out therein at right angles l l Fg- 4 S a plan VeW 0f another f01m 0f blank to the length of the posththe portions between from which the post may be cut; l said notches being reverseiybentto form a bignt, Fie. 5` is a top or edge view `0f the blank shown said portion of reduced thickness being very easily in Fig. 4; u l 25 bent. Y l t t t Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on line 6-6 It is another objectof the invention to provide 0f :Fig- 1; i l l a post of angular form in transverse cross sec- Fig. 7 is a partial view in front `elevation on tion and made of plate-like material, saidfpost an enlarged scale of the lower portion of the having a zone along one `side of much less thickpost;v e l l l 30 ness than the remainder of the post, the same :Fig. 8 isa `view in side elevation as seen from having V,transverse spaced notches cut` therein at the right OFE- '7;- y i l f the upper portion .ot the post, the portions bee l Fig. 9 is .fa-transverse section of a post of right tweensaid notches beingreverselybent to form angular` form; t l l f a bight and said thin portion atthe `bottom por- Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of 35 tion of4 the post being flat and disposed` substanL the` post shownin Fig. 9 showing the manner of tially parallel to the direction of the longitudinal holding the fence wire;y y i u Y strands of the fence to give more anchoring sur- Fig. `11 is a horizontal section on line lI-Il of face. 4 .4 Y i Y y Fig. 1 0 as indicated by the arrows; Y

40 It is still .another object o1 the invention to Fig. 12 is a view in sideelevationsasseen from 40 provide a post as set forth in the preceding parathe right `oft Fig. 10 showing a different form of graph, the lower portion of said thin zone havholding member;- Y ing vertically extending tongues cut therein and Fig. 13 is a view in front elevation of the form bent outwardly having free lower ends beneath of post shown in Figs. 9 and 10 illustrating a which the strands o f the fence can pass and be chicken wire secured thereto;l 45 held without t bending or kinking, whereby all Fig. 14 is a view in front elevation of the post of the fence strands can pass along said post and shown in Figs. 9 and 10 illustrating how the verbe held Awithout bending. l l t tical wires of the fence may be received in the It is still another object of the invention to probight of the DOSt; and l vide .a fence postor angular form in transverse Fig. 15 is a horizontal section on line I5-I5 ot 5o cross section and made of plate-like material, the Fig.` 14o` as indicated by the arrow. t Y same having a zone along one side of much less l Referrngte the drawings, in Figs. 4 and 5 a thickness4 than. the remainder of the post, theplate 2U Vis shown having portions or zones 20a at same having .spacedtransverse notches out thereeach Vsidethereof of much less thickness than the in, the portion between said notches being reremainder or central portion vof the plate. The

plate can be rolled to the form shown while it is still hot in the rolls. Said plate can be cut longitudinally on the lines 2Gb shown in Fig 4 to form four tapered posts. These posts can be pressed into the shape shown in Figs. land 6. A post is then formed of substantially U-shape in transverse cross section, the sides diverging slightly toward the open side of the post. A zone thus extends along one side of the post which is of much less thickness than the remainder of the post.

In Figs. 2 and 3 a plate 2l is shown which has a central portion 2 la which is of much less thickness than the remainder of the plate. This plate can be cut along the line 2 Ib in Fig. 2 to form two non-tapering posts and the post can be pressed into the shape shown in Fig. 6 or into the right angular shape shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The post will have a zone of much less thickness along one side and this zone will have cut therein spaced notches. In the post 22 shown in Figs. 1 and 6 the thin edge portion 22a is shown reversely bent toward the rear side of the post to form a small trough or bight. This thin edge portion or zone is provided with a series of notches 221;l extending transversely and extending along the length of the post. The portion between these notches is bent to form the bight 22m. At the lower or ground end of the post the thin portion is disposed transversely of the post or parallel with the direction of the fence wires secured to the post. The thin portion is thus flat and unbent and acts to give a greater anchoring surface to the lower portions of the post, which isV driven into the ground. The part of the flat thin portion adjacent the ground is provided with a series of struck up tongues 22e. These tongues have free lower ends and parallel sides and are pressed forwardly. The strands 23 of the fence can pass beneath these tongues and the tongues can then be pressed inwardly at their lower ends by being tapped with a hammer or in any other desirable manner and the wires 23 will be held in position without being bent or kinked. The wires 24 of the fence above the lower wires 23 will be disposed in the notches 22h and a locking wire or rod 25 which is preferably of resilient material will be disposed vertically in the bight 22a, the same passing in front of the wires 24 and holding the same in position.

In Figs. 9 to 11 and 13 and 15 a post of right angular form is shown and the same is not tapered. Such a post can be formed from the blank in Fig. 3. This post 26 has the portions 26a between the notches formed in its thin side portion bent reversely to form a bight 26h as shown. This bight is also adapted to receive the locking wire 25 as shown in Fig. 10. The bights 22a. or 2Gb may have a depression 26e formed therein which will be made by pressing inwardly on the convex side of the bight. 'Ihis Vcan be done by a press or hammer. This moves the bottom of the bight farther rearwardly on the post so that the locking wire or rod 25 must pass around the same. This springs the locking wire to the rear so that it will press rearwardly on the strands of fence wire and move the same to the rear of the slots 22b and the slots between portions 26a. It is desirable to have the fence wires so held to avoid excessive vibration due to the wind or other causes.

In Fig. 12 the post as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 is illustrated but instead of using the locking wire 25, a locking member in the form of a wedge 3l is used. Due tothe shallow bight or trough this wedge can readily be inserted at the outer side or rear of the post and driven down in front of the strand 24 of the fence. The wedge is preferably roughened as shown at 3Ia on its straight side in order to give more friction. Such a fastening means has the advantage that if a broken wire is to be replaced in the fence the locking wire or rod 25 will not have to be removed from all of the wires but only the particular wedge holding the wire will have to be removed.

In Figs. 14 and 15 the strands 21 of the fence are shown extending horizontally while the vertically extending fence wires are shown as 28.

`These are connected by another wire or clip 29.

The vertical wires 28 are disposed within the bight 2Gb, the locking wire 25 also being disposed in the b-ight farther toward the edge of the post. An additional support is thus given to the fence should an outward stress occur due to the wind, snow, or an animal rubbing thereagainst.

In Fig. 13 a chicken wire or netting is shown attached to the post. It will be seen that the twisted portions 30 of the netting can be disposed in the slots 22h or in the slots between portions 26a and the locking wire 25 passed in front of the same.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a simple and highly efficient structure of post. By having the thin edge portion it is much easier to cut the posts from the blank and it is much easier to bend the thin edge portion into the bight or trough form. The thin edge portion also saves metal. By having the post out from the blank shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the notches are easily formed in the thin edge portion. It is pointed out that the slots in the thin edge portion extend entirely to the edge of the bent-over or bight portion. When the locking wire 25 is placed in the post it is inserted from the top. With the shallow open channel or groove formed by the bight portion the end of the wire can be readily engaged by one hand and the wire quickly guided properly to pass over the fence wires. It will be seen that if the bight portion were longer and a slot merely cut through the front or convex side of the bight portion so that there was metal at the end of the slot this would not be possible. It would also not be possible to have the vertical wires 28 of the fence disposed in the bight portion as shown in Figs. 14 and 15. With the bight or trough at the edge of the post entirely open at the rear it is also possible to cut the post from the blank shown in Figs. 2 and 3. 'Ihis would not be possible if the edge were merely formed into the trough and slots cut through the convex side of the trough. The post can be cut from the blank as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 by either a cylindrical die roller or a straight punching die. In punching slots in thick metal the metal adjacent the slots is often cracked and injured, seriously weakening the post and causing a weak spot therein. 'Ihe post is quite apt to fail at this weak spot. This shock and injury to the post is avoided by having the edge portion thin in which the slots are cut. The thin edge portion also makes it possible to have more metal in the post where it is needed at the vertex of the angle or bight. By having the thin portion extend out at at the ground end of the. post it is easier to drive the post into the ground and a large area is obtained for anchoring purposes. It is desirable to have the tongues 22o adjacent the ground portion if wires are to be placed against the ground. It will be seen that the wires can readily be placed under the tongues and as above stated the ends of the tongues can be bent around the lower side of the wire. All of the Wires on the fence thus extend transversely of the post and there is no appreciable kinking or bending of any of the wires in the post or by the fastening means. In the form of post shown in Figs. 1 to 6 the fence wires also bear against the front edge of the post Whichdoes not have the bight thereon, thus giving additional bearing surface to the fence to resist any pressure inwardly toward the post.

The post has been amply demonstrated in actual practice and found to be very successful and efficient.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and dened in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:-

l. A fence post of angular for-m in cross section and made of plate-like material, said post having vertically spaced notches cut in one side thereof, the portions between said notches being reversely bent to form a shallow bight or trough adapted to receive a vertically extending locking member, said notches extending to and through the vertical edge of said side so that the horizontal strands of a Wire fence may be disposed therein and the vertical strands of said fence may be disposed in said bight or trough whereby the fence can be held by said post over a wide vertical extent and said locking member is very accessible in said bight or trough.

2. A fence post of angular form in cross section and made of plate-like material, said post having vertically spaced notches cut in one side thereof, the portions between said notches being reversely bent to form a shallow bight or trough adapted to receive a vertically extending locking Wire so that the horizontal strands oi a` Wire fence can be disposed in said notches in the rear of said locking wire, said bight having one or more depressions formed therein at its convex side around which said locking wire must pass to place tension on said locking wire and cause the same to move said fence strands against the rear side of said notches so that they will be rmly held again vibration.

EDWARD PAVEK. 

